Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Something I read this morning has been bugging me so much that I have to post about it.

Anti-gay spokesperson Matt Barber wrote a press release patting the U.S. Supreme Court on the back for its recent decision not to hear a case challenging Don't Ask, Don't Tell - the policy of gays in the military.

I served twelve years in the Army National Guard. During basic training a young man who later turned out to be homosexual was discharged after making unwanted advances toward other soldiers and for inappropriately touching several while they slept in the barracks.“A lengthy investigation ensued. Troops were pulled away from their regular training to answer questions. It was a tremendous distraction for our entire platoon. This incident most definitely disrupted unit cohesion and harmed troop morale.

I have a serious problem believing Barber's story and here's why:

The one thing I know about Barber is that he never misses a chance to attack the lgbt community on our supposed wrongs and proclivities. His entire career has been built on being a phony martyr of the alleged gay agenda.

But to my knowledge, this is the first time I have ever heard him recount this story. I find it hard to believe that Barber would let such an juicy anti-gay anecdote be unheard until now.

And the ironic thing is that Barber is quoted repeating the alleged incident in a One News Now article which also quotes Elaine Donnelly. Donnelly is the head of a the Center for Military Readiness and has been vocal with attacking the concept of gays in the military.

The question I have is where was Barber and this story last year when Donnelly was figuratively and deservedly butchered in front of a Congressional committee last year for her abysmal testimony against allowing gays in the military.

You will remember that one example she cited about an alleged incident in 1974 concerning a white female who was accosted by a group of lesbians.Why didn't Barber supply her with his incident, which would have been a more up-to-date story.

Let me first apologize if the concerns I have relayed are inaccurate.

But for now, I think that Barber's story of roaming gay hands in the military is a vague and skillful lie.

While the lgbt community is distracted by marriage equality, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and anger at President Obama, the religious right is attempting to play the death of a thousand cuts game on GLSEN's Kevin Jennings

There seems to be an attempt to create a rising storm regarding President Obama's pick of GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) founder Kevin Jennings as Assistant Deputy Secretary in the Office of Safe Schools.

The religious right have been steadily attempting to portray Jennings as a danger to children and another cog in the so-called gay conspiracy to indoctrinate children.

The usual characters, Peter LaBarbera, Linda Harvey, and One News Now, have already cast Jennings as some sort of psychological lamia out to strip children of their innocence.

Addressing a church audience on March 20, 2000 in New York City — just days before “Fistgate” — GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings offered a stinging (and quite intolerant) assessment of how to deal with religious conservatives:

Twenty percent of people are hard-core fair-minded [pro-homosexual] people. Twenty percent are hard-core [anti-homosexual] bigots. We need to ignore the hard-core bigots, get more of the hard-core fair-minded people to speak up, and we’ll pull that 60 percent [of people in the middle] … over to our side. That’s really what I think our strategy has to be. We have to quit being afraid of the religious right. We also have to quit — … I’m trying to find a way to say this. I’m trying not to say, ‘[F---] ‘em!’ which is what I want to say, because I don’t care what they think! [audience laughter] Drop dead! It should be noted that GLSEN and Jennings make heavy use of the words “respect” and “tolerance” in their public rhetoric and in descriptions of their programs.

The claim that Jennings is bigoted towards Christians is debatably inaccurate. The quote says nothing about Christians, but rather some folks who oppose lgbt equality.

And based on how these individuals and organizations have opposed lgbt equality in the past, Jennings has a point with his comments.

However that is not the point. FRC tries to imply that Jennings is bigoted towards Christians much like a racist would be bigoted towards African-Americans. And the quote the organization uses just doesn't justify that implication, despite the profanity used by Jennings.

You will notice that the example mentioned "fistgate." FRC's blog goes into detail about this alleged incident further down:

GLSEN and “Fistgate

”GLSEN, which promotes homosexual clubs and the homosexual lifestyle in high schools, middle schools and grade schools and is the driving force behind the annual “Day of Silence” celebration of homosexuality“

The most notorious education scandal involving homosexual activists is a GLSEN sponsored conference that occurred on March 25, 2000, dubbed ‘Fistgate’ by conservatives. Three homosexual activists employed by the Massachusetts Departments of Health and Education led a youth workshop titled ‘What They Didn’t Tell You about Queer Sex & Sexuality in Health Class’ — part of the annual Boston-GLSEN ‘Teach Out’ conference held at Tufts University. The ‘Queer Sex’ session, advertised to ‘youth only ages 14 to 21,’ was attended by Massachusetts family advocate Scott Whitemen, who taped it while standing in the back of the room.In the workshop, instructor Michael Gaucher, prompted by a teen’s question, verbally guided the students on the mechanics of ‘fisting’ — a homosexual slang term for a sadistic sex act in which a man inserts his hand and arm into another person’s anal cavity.

Another instructor, Margot Abels, said fisting ‘often gets a really bad rap,’ and described it innocuously as ‘an experience of letting somebody into your body that you want to be that close and intimate with.’ Abels and Gaucher also guided the students on techniques of oral sodomy and lesbian sex.”

"Fistgate," which I have talked about repeatedly, is one of those phony moral panics created by Massachusetts religious right group Mass Resistance. The group illegally entered and taped a discussion from a Massachusetts state conference on teens and sexual behavior.

But the most important thing about this situation regarding Jennings and GLSEN is other than helping to sponsor the conference, neither Jennings nor GLSEN had anything to do with the questions asked or the controversy that took place because of it.

One last point I want to make:

On Statutory Rape

‘In his own writings and books listed on the GLSEN [Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network] Website, I’ve reported, Kevin Jennings has given tacit nods of approval to sex between young teens and adults,’ (Linda) Harvey told WND. ‘In addition to that, the writings and books, many of which I’ve read and are incredibly graphic, seem to normalize early teen same-sex sexual behaviors.’

As I have said so many times before, Linda Harvey is a phony expert. She is the founder of Mission America and a former ad executive who became "born again." She has no credentials or expertise.

When people have views supporting homosexuality, they should not be involved with youth in any way, period. Because they:will provide inaccurate, misleading information to kids;may limit a student's opportunity to hear warnings about the behavior;may advocate or model inappropriate behavior;may be directly involved in the molestation of kids themselves;or may be in a position to allow others to do so.

I think it's safe to say that Harvey is not a credible source of information regarding lgbts.

The attacks on Jennings is important because they are taking place while the lgbt community is distracted with marriage equality, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and our anger at President Obama for allegedly not moving fast enough on our issues.

How long will it be before a letter signed by several religious right groups asking for Jennings's removal goes out to the media?

We had better get on the ball with this before we are caught with our pants down.

At lunch I discovered that my add-on button does not work. Subsequently, when I got home, I spent a long time trying to fix it.

I didn't fix it but now I have two add-on buttons. And neither work.

But anyway, congratulations to my fellow bloggers who made The Advocate'slist of top 15 Gayish blogs, including:

AmericaBlog.com

Gawker.com

DListed.com

HuffingtonPost.com

OhLaLaMag.com

Signorile.com

TowleRoad.com

WorldofWonder.net

PerezHilton.com

Slog.TheStranger.com

PinkIsTheNewBlog.com

Popnography.com

Rod 2.0

GoodAsYou.org

Now though Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters was not listed, I bear no malice because we are in this for the work and the community, not for renown.

However, if something should happen, say a big boat falls from the sky and just misses hitting you, a mysterious shape at your window, your pet rabbit being found boiling in a pot, a fortune teller letting you know that someone has roots on you, just know that I am not at fault ;p

All jokes aside, all of these folks deserve a lot of kudoe. Many of them are my friends and mentors. I take lessons from how they operate to make my stuff better.

And speaking of another person who I consider a role model, congratulations to Wayne Besen and Truth Wins Out on this:

NEW YORK – Truth Wins Out announced today that its Executive Director, Wayne Besen, would be in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to participate in actions to educate the public about the dangers of the “ex-gay” industry. Besen is the author of “Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Ex-Gay Myth”. The educational events coincide with Love Won Out, Focus on the Family’s “pray away the gay” road show, which will be held on June 13.

“The community response has been incredible and we are looking forward to countering the misinformation that Focus on the Family will import into Grand Rapids,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. “It is important that people know that you can’t pray away the gay, but you can learn to love people for who they truly are.”

Grand Valley State University departments have teamed up to host a panel discussion on religion and homophobia that will feature national and local experts. “Religion and Homophobia: Spiritual Violence in Our Community” is set for Thursday, June 11, from 7-9 p.m. in the Eberhard Center, room 215, on Grand Valley’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus at 301 W. Fulton St. The event is free and open to the public.

Besen will begin the discussion with a presentation about the validity of “ex-gay” reparative ministries or therapies. Truth Wins Out is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to defending the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community against anti-gay misinformation campaigns.

For those looking for news briefs, they are in the post before this one.

Something I read this morning has been bugging me so much that I have to post about it.

Anti-gay spokesperson Matt Barber wrote a press release patting the U.S. Supreme Court on the back for its recent decision not to hear a case challenging Don't Ask, Don't Tell - the policy of gays in the military.

I served twelve years in the Army National Guard. During basic training a young man who later turned out to be homosexual was discharged after making unwanted advances toward other soldiers and for inappropriately touching several while they slept in the barracks.

“A lengthy investigation ensued. Troops were pulled away from their regular training to answer questions. It was a tremendous distraction for our entire platoon. This incident most definitely disrupted unit cohesion and harmed troop morale.

I have a serious problem believing Barber's story and here's why:

The one thing I know about Barber is that he never misses a chance to attack the lgbt community on our supposed wrongs and proclivities. His entire career has been built on being a phony martyr of the alleged gay agenda.

But to my knowledge, this is the first time I have ever heard him recount this story. I find it hard to believe that Barber would let such an juicy anti-gay anecdote be unheard until now.

And the ironic thing is that Barber is quoted repeating the alleged incident in a One News Now article which also quotes Elaine Donnelly. Donnelly is the head of a the Center for Military Readiness and has been vocal with attacking the concept of gays in the military.

The question I have is where was Barber and this story last year when Donnelly was figuratively and deservedly butcheredin front of a Congressional committee last year for her abysmal testimony against allowing gays in the military.

You will remember that one example she cited about an alleged incident in 1974 concerning a white female who was accosted by a group of lesbians.

Why didn't Barber supply her with his incident, which would have been a more up-to-date story.

Let me first apologize if the concerns I have relayed are inaccurate.

But for now, I think that Barber's story of roaming gay hands in the military is a vague and skillful lie.

While the lgbt community is distracted by marriage equality, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and anger at President Obama, the religious right is attempting to play the death of a thousand cuts game on GLSEN's Kevin Jennings

There seems to be an attempt to create a rising storm regarding President Obama's pick of GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) founder Kevin Jennings as Assistant Deputy Secretary in the Office of Safe Schools.

The religious right have been steadily attempting to portray Jennings as a danger to children and another cog in the so-called gay conspiracy to indoctrinate children.

The usual characters, Peter LaBarbera, Linda Harvey, and One News Now, have already cast Jennings as some sort of psychological lamia out to strip children of their innocence.

Now the Family Research Council via its blog has gotten into the act. Let's look at the group's claims:

View of ChristiansAddressing a church audience on March 20, 2000 in New York City — just days before “Fistgate” — GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings offered a stinging (and quite intolerant) assessment of how to deal with religious conservatives:

Twenty percent of people are hard-core fair-minded [pro-homosexual] people. Twenty percent are hard-core [anti-homosexual] bigots. We need to ignore the hard-core bigots, get more of the hard-core fair-minded people to speak up, and we’ll pull that 60 percent [of people in the middle] … over to our side. That’s really what I think our strategy has to be. We have to quit being afraid of the religious right. We also have to quit — … I’m trying to find a way to say this. I’m trying not to say, ‘[F---] ‘em!’ which is what I want to say, because I don’t care what they think! [audience laughter] Drop dead! It should be noted that GLSEN and Jennings make heavy use of the words “respect” and “tolerance” in their public rhetoric and in descriptions of their programs.

The claim that Jennings is bigoted towards Christians is debatably inaccurate. The quote says nothing about Christians, but rather some folks who oppose lgbt equality.

And based on how these individuals and organizations have opposed lgbt equality in the past, Jennings has a point with his comments.

However that is not the point. FRC tries to imply that Jennings is bigoted towards Christians much like a racist would be bigoted towards African-Americans. And the quote the organization uses just doesn't justify that implication, despite the profanity used by Jennings.

You will notice that the example mentioned "fistgate." FRC's blog goes into detail about this alleged incident further down:

GLSEN and “Fistgate”

GLSEN, which promotes homosexual clubs and the homosexual lifestyle in high schools, middle schools and grade schools and is the driving force behind the annual “Day of Silence” celebration of homosexuality

“The most notorious education scandal involving homosexual activists is a GLSEN sponsored conference that occurred on March 25, 2000, dubbed ‘Fistgate’ by conservatives. Three homosexual activists employed by the Massachusetts Departments of Health and Education led a youth workshop titled ‘What They Didn’t Tell You about Queer Sex & Sexuality in Health Class’ — part of the annual Boston-GLSEN ‘Teach Out’ conference held at Tufts University. The ‘Queer Sex’ session, advertised to ‘youth only ages 14 to 21,’ was attended by Massachusetts family advocate Scott Whitemen, who taped it while standing in the back of the room.

In the workshop, instructor Michael Gaucher, prompted by a teen’s question, verbally guided the students on the mechanics of ‘fisting’ — a homosexual slang term for a sadistic sex act in which a man inserts his hand and arm into another person’s anal cavity.

Another instructor, Margot Abels, said fisting ‘often gets a really bad rap,’ and described it innocuously as ‘an experience of letting somebody into your body that you want to be that close and intimate with.’ Abels and Gaucher also guided the students on techniques of oral sodomy and lesbian sex.”

"Fistgate," which I have talked about repeatedly, is one of those phony moral panics created by Massachusetts religious right group Mass Resistance. The group illegally entered and taped a discussion from a Massachusetts state conference on teens and sexual behavior.

My take on the so-called controversy is here. But the most important thing about this situation regarding Jennings and GLSEN is other than helping to sponsor the conference, neither Jennings nor GLSEN had anything to do with the questions asked or the controversy that took place because of it.

One last point I want to make:

On Statutory Rape

‘In his own writings and books listed on the GLSEN [Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network] Website, I’ve reported, Kevin Jennings has given tacit nods of approval to sex between young teens and adults,’ (Linda) Harvey told WND. ‘In addition to that, the writings and books, many of which I’ve read and are incredibly graphic, seem tonormalize early teen same-sex sexual behaviors.’

As I have said so many times before, Linda Harvey is a phony expert. She is the founder of Mission America and a former ad executive who became "born again." She has no credentials or expertise. She also has a very, very negative view of anyone who is lgbt supportive. This is what she said three years ago:

When people have views supporting homosexuality, they should not be involved with youth in any way, period. Because they:

will provide inaccurate, misleading information to kids;may limit a student's opportunity to hear warnings about the behavior;may advocate or model inappropriate behavior;may be directly involved in the molestation of kids themselves; ormay be in a position to allow others to do so.

I think it's safe to say that Harvey is not a credible source of information regarding lgbts.

The attacks on Jennings is important because they are taking place while the lgbt community is distracted with marriage equality, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and our anger at President Obama for allegedly not moving fast enough on our issues.

How long will it be before a letter signed by several religious right groups asking for Jennings's removal goes out to the media?

We had better get on the ball with this before we are caught with our pants down.

About Me

Alvin McEwen is 46-year-old African-American gay man who resides in Columbia, SC.
McEwen's blog, Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters, and writings have been mentioned by Americablog.com, Goodasyou.org, People for the American Way, PageOneQ.com, The Washington Post, Raw Story, The Advocate, Media Matters for America, Crooksandliars.com, Thinkprogress.org, Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish, Melissa Harris-Perry, The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, Newsweek, The Daily Beast, The Washington Blade, and Foxnews.com.
In addition, he is also a past contributor to Pam's House Blend,Justice For All, LGBTQ Nation, and Alternet.org. He is a present contributor to the Daily Kos and the Huffington Post,
He is the 2007 recipient of the Harriet Daniels Hancock Volunteer of the Year Award and the 2010 recipient of the Order of the Pink Palmetto from the SC Pride Movement as well as the 2009 recipient of the Audre Lorde/James Baldwin Civil Rights Activist Award from SC Black Pride. In addition, he is a three-time nominee of the Ed Madden Media Advocacy Award from SC Pride.